The Gate
]] '''The Gate of Alchemy' (also called The Gate of Truth, The Portal, but most commonly as simply The Gate) is a metaphysical and possibly metaphorical structure that appears within - and is central to - the Fullmetal Alchemist series in both the anime and manga. It is the source of alchemical knowledge and the entrance to God's domain, where no mortals are meant to tread. In the manga In the Fullmetal Alchemist manga and 2009 anime series, the Gate is a pair of doors resembling large stone tablets engraved with a mural, floating in an endless white expanse. Though there appears to be nothing behind the doors when they are closed, upon opening, they reveal a dimension of information which manifests as a shadowy void with several shadow-like ethereal hands protruding from it and a single large eye within. The eye resembles those of the Homunculi created by Father and, indeed, the shapeless void and its extremities look very similar to the original forms of both Father and the Homunculus Pride. Any alchemist who attempts a Human Transmutation is summoned before the Gate by the transmutation's rebound and speaks briefly with the being known as Truth before the Gate itself pulls them through its doors. Inside, pure knowledge about the world, the universe, alchemy and everything is forced into the alchemist's mind as he or she begins to break down both physically and psychically, becoming part of the flow. However, the alchemist is only granted as much knowledge is proportionate to what is being given up as a "toll" through the Gate. For example, Edward Elric, who gave up his right arm and left leg as toll, only saw so much, but his brother Alphonse - who had given up his whole body - saw a bit further. It is unknown what happens to those alchemists whose lives are given up, but the Philosopher's Stone appears to be the only thing that would allow one to pass through the Gate without paying a personal toll. If an alchemist survives his or her passage through the Gate, they are sent back to the mortal plane without whatever they left behind as payment. Though the Gate appears identically to any and all who pass through it, it is apparent that the engravings on the stone doors are different for each person. For Edward Elric, who has passed through the Gate no less than three separate times, the mural is a relief of 17th century Paracelsian scholar Robert Fludd's Sephirothic Tree of Life while the mural on Alphonse Elric's Gate is a relief of an illustration from 15th century alchemist {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Ripley_(alchemist) George Ripley]'s text "The Marrow of Alchemy". It is unknown what image appeared on the Gate for Izumi Curtis or the alchemist who lost his eyes as toll. In the anime The Gate is a double door gate. It links the our world (Earth) and the FMA world (Amestris) together. It is featured in some of the episodes and is in the movie, Conqueror of Shambala. There are many different forms of the gate. In the movie it takes the form of a portal and the regular gate. It opens when a homunculus is transmuted. This happens in the Conqueror of Shambala, when Alphonse Elric transmutes Wrath to make a permanent portal or gate. On the other side, the portal is opened when Van Hohenheim is transmuted to make the portal. Category:Alchemy